British Airways is further reducing its U.S. network later this year. The carrier continues to grapple with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine issues, grounding some of its Boeing 787s.
Schedule data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows the airline reducing frequencies in a handful of U.S. markets. These include New Orleans, San Diego, and Houston.
Starting in April, British Airways’ London Heathrow to San Diego service will be reduced from 14 times weekly to 13. Flights are scheduled on Boeing 777-300ER and 787-8 aircraft.
With this change, the carrier will offer roughly 200 fewer seats per week between the two cities.
Beginning in October, service between London Heathrow and Houston will drop from 12 to 11 weekly frequencies. New Orleans will also receive three flights per week, down from the originally planned four. Boeing 787 Dreamliners operate to both cities.
An airline spokesperson did not respond to AirlineGeeks’ request for comment on the network changes.
Dreamliners Grounded
British Airways’ chief planning and strategy officer, Neil Chernoff, recently told Aviation Week that the carrier has four 787s grounded due to engine issues. He added that the airline is conservatively planning not to have the aircraft in service during the peak summer months.
These out-of-service jets include two 787-8s, one 787-9, and a 787-10, per Cirium Fleet Analyzer data.
As a result, British Airways has made drastic route cuts. Service to Bahrain and Abu Dhabi along with Dallas/Fort Worth remain suspended through at least the summer.
